Rescue Your Revenue

Keep Your Wheels Turning: A Practical Guide for Expediters to Maximize Downtime Claims

For expediters, time really is money. Every hour your truck is parked after an accident — whether waiting for parts, stuck in a shop queue, or delayed by insurance slowdowns — costs you lost income and potential future work. Unlike larger carriers, many owner-operators in the expedite sector don’t have a backup truck or fleet to fall back on. That’s why protecting your downtime claim is critical when an accident wasn’t your fault. 

Here’s how to strengthen your downtime claim with practical steps and documentation that insurers can’t easily dismiss.

1. Act Quickly — Don’t Let Days Slip Away

Once you’ve been involved in a not-at-fault accident, the clock starts ticking. Getting your truck into a reputable repair shop as soon as possible is important, but so is documenting the process. 

Record: 

• The date and time you brought the truck in
• Any communication about repair schedules or parts shortages
• Delays from the shop or suppliers 

Waiting days before even starting the repair process gives insurers leverage to argue your losses were avoidable. Documenting timelines protects you later in the claims process.  

2. Capture Every Delay in Writing 

Phone calls about your repair status are useful, but they don’t count much without written follow-up. Every time you receive an update — whether a delay for parts, labor backlogs, or adjusted timelines — follow up with a quick email confirming what was said. 

Even a short message like, “Thanks for the update — confirmed repairs delayed due to part availability, now expected by X date,” creates a paper trail. That trail can be essential when you or your attorney prepares your claim package for the other driver’s insurer. 

3. Track Every Lost Load 

Expediters operate on tight schedules — missing even one delivery window can mean losing a client forever. Make sure you record: 

• Loads you were forced to cancel
• Missed commitments or bookings
• Estimated revenue you would have earned 

Using your operating logs and load history, you can show not just days off the road, but the actual financial impact those days had on your business. 

4. Show Attempts to Keep Running 

Insurance companies often look for ways to minimize payouts. Showing that you tried to keep working — even if your primary truck was down — strengthens your claim. 
Examples include: 

• Contacting rental companies for a temporary replacement truck
• Attempting power-only runs or tow-away opportunities
• Seeking alternate work with available equipment 

You don’t have to succeed — you just need proof that you tried. Denial letters from rental companies or notes about unavailable equipment can all support your loss claim.

5. Understand What Mitigation Really Means 

Mitigation doesn’t mean fixing the problem yourself or absorbing costs out of pocket. It means acting reasonably to reduce your damages when possible, such as: 

• Trying to rent equivalent equipment
• Promptly seeking repair work
• Communicating with the at-fault carrier’s insurer
• Keeping detailed records of every effort 

Reasonable steps, backed by documentation, make it harder for insurers to argue your losses were preventable. 

6. Build a Claim Package That Tells the Whole Story 

When it’s time to submit your claim, don’t just send repair invoices. Include: 

• A timeline of events
• Copies of emails and written updates on delays
• Loss of income calculations with supporting load history
• Denials or unavailability statements from rental providers 

A well-organized, evidence-based claim package gives insurers fewer excuses to lowball offers or deny legitimate downtime claims. 

Final Thought

Delays and downtime are inevitable risks in expedited trucking, but how you document and respond afterward can make a huge difference in the recovery of your lost income. By acting quickly, keeping written records, and demonstrating mitigation, you protect not only your current claim but your ability to sustain your business over the long haul. 

If you’re navigating a downtime claim or want your documentation reviewed before submitting it, reach out for help — early preparation strengthens your position down the road. 

Need help with a downtime claim?

At Eckert & Associates, P.A., we help expediters and all trucking busineses pursue recovery for downtime and damage losses caused by others. 
 
Visit downtimeclaims.com or call us today.